On a renewable strike since Friday to demand an increase in the price of consultations, private doctors decided Tuesday evening to suspend their movement to close practices. The framework letter – sent Monday by the Minister of Health, Aurélien Rousseau, to the director general of the National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam) – “opens horizons to support and make the liberal exercise attractive”, estimated the inter-union bringing together 12 organizations.
Aurélien Rousseau relaunched the process of price negotiations between Health Insurance and the unions of private doctors on Tuesday, eight months after the failure of previous discussions.
These conventional negotiations were broken off at the end of February, giving rise to a controversial arbitration settlement, with an increase in the price of consultations of only 1.50 euros compared to the previous prices dating from 2017. In his framing letter, Aurélien Rousseau acknowledges that it is “necessary to work on new developments” in doctors’ remuneration.
He also promises that the legislative texts discussed in Parliament, namely the Social Security budget and especially the Valletoux bill, which makes liberal doctors bristle, will not be able to encroach on the conventional procedure “which must be clear, respectful and peaceful” . The minister also “approached” MP Frédéric Valletoux to “either better explain” the criticized articles, “or work on better writing,” indicated the ministry. The council of the National Union of Health Insurance Funds (Uncam) must still examine this letter and set guidelines. The ministry hopes to be able to schedule a first negotiation meeting at the end of October.
